15 June 2006 10:40
From: PIRATES OF THE QFB LEG NINE DAY 1
11:30 CET-Motoring down the Mass River to the start.
The crowd was huge this morning at the departure ceremony. One thing is
clear from our four days here, Holland is definitely into sailing and the
Volvo Ocean Race.
The fleet paraded down the Maas River, accompanied by hundreds of
spectator craft. The 22 miles of shore line was populated with thousands
of cheering fans. We wore our arms out waving for 2 hours straight. The
enthusiasm was great to see.
Today's forecast for the race is decent wind at the start and for the
first 10 hours, then gradually getting lighter, almost to the point of
drifting. The conditions approaching Gothenburg are supposed to be quite
fluky and variable. This is Brasil 1's dream forecast.. anything but
steady conditions is their best chance to get four boats between us, which
is what they have to do. Brasil may be the fastest boat in the fleet in
light air also, so I am sure they are feeling good about their chances.
We will just have to keep it close and hope that what ever luck hits them,
good or bad, hits us too.
Also, the leg is not a fixed course. The race committee can lengthen or
shorten the course by sending us on about six different "loops" as we
approach Gothenburg. They want to have the fleet enter the city as close
to 1300 CET Saturday as possible. So we won’t know for sure how much more
racing there is left as we near the end of the race.
If the conditions are very light they may even shorten the course and
finish us off Denmark and have us motor in. It is all very much up in the
air, so to speak.
So the best strategy for us is to stay close to Brasil, if we have the
speed to do so, and just let all these variables become irrelevant. That
is the plan.
Time to get ready for the start.
Paul Cayard - skipper
For media information on the Volvo Ocean Race, please contact:
Lizzie Green Press Officer at race headquarters:
Tel: +44 1489 554 832, Mob: +44 7801 185 320
Email: lizzie.green@volvooceanrace.org
Sophie Luther Press Assistant at race headquarters
Mob: +44 7956 285548 email: sophie.luther@volvooceanrace.org
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